In ‘Carolina Beach’ novel, a (fictional) crime wave hits NC beach town

Robert R. “Rusty” Starr worked at the old Wilmington Morning Star and Sunday Star-News from 1978 to 1983, rising to copy desk chief. He went on to a distinguished career as editor and publisher of newspapers in Alabama and Florida. 

Now retired, Starr isn’t writing his memoirs but rather a series of picaresque novels that improve on the facts. His “Carolina Beach” is subtitled “Journalism as It Should Have Been,” which gives away the game.

It’s 1979, and Rusty is sharing an apartment at Carolina Beach with reporter Tom Clifford. One day, a masked Deep Throat type appears at the door and hands over a sheaf of documents proving that many of the beach town’s officials have been robbing the taxpayers — using town funds to build a picket fence around a private cottage, install a garage, that sort of thing. 

Since the city editor is a pompous incompetent, editor Andy Anderson entrusts Rusty and Tom with writing up a series of exposes.

This proves tougher than it sounds. Two public works employees, who could pass as members of Tony Soprano’s crew, are following the two around. The apartment is ransacked. Cars are torched.

Undeterred, the duo get their facts together, and the stories hit the newsstands. The trail grows darker, though, when it turns out that the town has contracted out its solid waste services to a company from Fort Lee, N.J. — one with Mob ties.

Soon, snipers are opening fire at the Wilmington airport.

Rusty finds time to relax, though, in a series of romantic relationships that would leave James Bond envious. Yes, this really is journalism as it should have been.